Sakimeshi

When COVID-19 hit in early 2020, restaurants across Japan were watching their customers disappear overnight. Looking for a way to help local diners survive the crisis, the concept of a digital prepaid meal-voucher service took shape — a simple idea: buy a meal now, eat it later.

The concept and the name "Sakimeshi" were proposed to Fukuoka-based IT firm Gigi, and the first participating restaurant was a beloved diner in Sasebo. From that single shop, the service spread rapidly across Japan, eventually attracting major support from Suntory and earning a Good Design Award — a testament to how a locally-rooted idea can scale when the timing and need align.